There’s an unmistakable buzz in Milwaukee this weekend as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers square off for a three-game set at American Family Field, starting Friday night, May 22, 2026. The matchup isn't just another midseason series—it's a collision between two of the National League’s hottest teams, both carrying postseason ambitions and plenty of recent history. With the Dodgers sitting at 31-19 and leading the NL West, and the Brewers boasting a 29-18 record atop the NL Central, fans are in for a treat.
First pitch for the opener was scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET (6:40 p.m. CT), with the Brewers entering as slight home favorites, offering a 1.85x payout for those betting on a Milwaukee win. Both teams have been rolling: the Dodgers are 7-3 in their last ten games, while the Brewers have gone an impressive 8-2. It’s a clash of titans, and the stakes feel even higher considering how close both clubs are to the first-place Braves in the National League standings—just 3.5 to 4 games back.
Friday’s pitching matchup set the tone for the series. The Brewers handed the ball to Logan Henderson (1-1, 3.50 ERA), who’s stepped up after being called up from Triple-A earlier in May when Brandon Woodruff hit the 15-day IL. Henderson has impressed, delivering a 2.81 ERA over three starts this month and showing a knack for handling pressure. The Dodgers countered with Justin Wrobleski (6-1, 2.49 ERA), whose breakout campaign has been a revelation for Los Angeles. However, Wrobleski’s last few outings have seen some turbulence—he surrendered seven earned runs to the Braves on May 10, hinting at possible regression.
Injuries have played a significant role in shaping both teams’ lineups. The Brewers are missing several key contributors: Brandon Lockridge (knee), Brandon Woodruff (arm), Jared Koenig (elbow), Angel Zerpa (forearm), Quinn Priester (wrist), Akil Baddoo (quadricep), Rob Zastryzny (shoulder), and Garrett Mitchell (back, day-to-day). The Dodgers’ injury list is even longer, with Brock Stewart, Blake Snell, Jack Dreyer, Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone, Jake Cousins, Kiké Hernández, Brusdar Graterol, Edwin Díaz, Ben Casparius, Tommy Edman, Landon Knack, and Evan Phillips all sidelined. That’s a lot of firepower on the shelf, but both clubs have shown remarkable resilience.
Fans hoping to catch the action had plenty of options. The May 22 and May 24 games are broadcast on Brewers.TV, while Saturday’s contest airs nationally on FOX (Channel 6 in Milwaukee). For those streaming, Brewers.TV and the MLB app provided live access, and Fubo offered a free trial for new viewers. Radio listeners could tune in via the Brewers Radio Network, including flagship AM-620 WTMJ, with Jeff Levering, Lane Grindle, and Josh Maurer on the call. Sirius XM carried the series as well, with channel assignments varying by day.
As for the star power, Shohei Ohtani was the name on everyone’s lips. The two-way phenom pitched for the Dodgers on May 20, tossing five scoreless innings against the Padres, but wasn’t scheduled to pitch in Milwaukee. Instead, he slotted in as the designated hitter—still a major threat, even if his .885 OPS and eight home runs this year are below his otherworldly standards. Ohtani had been red-hot at the plate, with 10 hits in his previous 19 at-bats (.526), and analysts expected him to continue his surge against Brewers pitching. "Ohtani just launched a big fly on Wednesday and still touts a 17.0% HR/FB that’s above the 10.8% league average," noted one preview.
On the Brewers’ side, Brice Turang has been a revelation, slashing .291/.413/.491 with seven homers, 29 RBIs, and an OPS of .904—good for 16th in MLB. He’s also swiped nine bases on 11 attempts. William Contreras has been steady as ever, batting .289/.361/.383 with three home runs and 27 RBIs, and Andy Pages for the Dodgers is making noise with a .288 average, 10 home runs, and a team-leading 42 RBIs.
Looking at recent trends, the Brewers have been giant-killers: they’ve played 15 games against teams in first or second place in their divisions and posted a sparkling 13-2 record. That includes series sweeps of the White Sox, Cubs, and Yankees, plus series wins over the Padres and Rays. The only blemish? A series loss to the Pirates. Milwaukee has lost just one series to a team with a winning record over their first 47 games—a testament to their consistency against top competition.
Last season’s history between these two clubs only adds to the intrigue. The Dodgers swept the Brewers in the National League Division Series last October, but Milwaukee had the upper hand in the regular season, winning all six meetings. There’s no shortage of motivation on either side as they renew acquaintances in 2026.
From a tactical perspective, the Brewers’ offense has been potent, ranking sixth in MLB with a .247 team batting average. However, they’ve struggled against left-handed pitching, batting just .213 (28th overall). That could be a factor with southpaw Wrobleski on the mound for Los Angeles. The Dodgers, on the other hand, lead MLB with a 119 wRC+, a .344 wOBA, and are second in slugging at .432. Their lineup is loaded with dangerous bats, and they make plenty of loud contact, boasting a 10.4% barrel rate (third in MLB).
On the mound, Henderson’s high flyball rate (51.1%) and vulnerability to home runs could be tested by the Dodgers’ power. Wrobleski’s ability to limit walks (5.9% rate) might help him navigate Milwaukee’s patient approach—they rank fourth in walk rate at 11.2%. But Milwaukee’s low strikeout rate (20.3%, fourth-lowest) suggests they’ll put plenty of balls in play, making for an intriguing chess match between pitcher and hitter.
As for the rest of the weekend, the Brewers and Dodgers will continue their duel with games on Saturday (6:15 p.m. CT) and Sunday (1:10 p.m. CT). Roki Sasaki and Robert Gasser are Saturday’s probable starters, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Brandon Sproat are expected to take the mound on Sunday. Notably, Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski isn’t scheduled to pitch in this series—he’s lined up for a Memorial Day start against the Cardinals.
With both teams riding hot streaks, injuries testing their depth, and recent history adding extra spice, this Brewers-Dodgers series is shaping up to be one of the season’s marquee matchups. The action is just getting started at American Family Field, and fans everywhere will be watching to see which contender can seize the upper hand in this early-summer showdown.